The Start of Something Good!

We started a new tradition this year with Thomas. I read about it on the blog When You Rise. Its very important to us to keep Christ and the message of the Gospel at the center of the Christmas season. To being doing this, we are going to give Thomas (and any future children) a "first Christmas present" the day after Thanksgiving each year. The gift will focus on the Nativity and true story of Christmas. Then, every year, the kids will get out all their Nativity/Christmas toys and books to play with the day after Thanksgiving (or whenever the Christmas decorations come out!). They will get packed up with the Christmas decor. Hopefully, it will be something they look forward to each December. This year, Thomas got the Fisher Price Nativity set. He pretty much just chews on the pieces, but he really likes it and it reminds me to talk about Baby Jesus (who happens to be the most often chewed piece!)

I love this transition!

His new "I'm really excited" face!

CHEESE!

Inspecting Baby Jesus!

Egg Bowl

Thomas sort of went to his first Egg Bowl (for you out of staters, that's the rivalry game between MSU and the other in state SEC college, Ole Miss!)! It was a rainy day, and the game was scheduled for 6:00 PM AGAIN...So we decided to just go tailgate with mom (who had just had elbow surgery) and then came home when it started raining! Thomas would be in bed on time, and we would watch the game from the comfort of our warm, dry living room. HA! If only things worked out as we planned! I went to pick up a pizza for dinner when we got home. When I went to crank my car to go home, it didn't do anything! Nothing! A nice lady in the restaurant tried to jump me off. Nothing. A big tow truck guy came to get a pizza and tried to jump me off. Nothing. Finally, since everyone I knew was in Starkville at the ball game, I got the guy working at my dad's store to come pick me up and take me home. (Mom couldn't drive and didn't have a car seat if she could!) Thankfully, it was towed the next day, and we got a new starter for FREE Thanks to HondaCare. Praise the Lord! We did NOT have the cash to get that fixed with the house stuff going on!!

Thomas with Grammy and Poppa at the Egg Bowl

Grammy, Poppa, Thomas, and Luke (who was too busy trying to figure out how to drive this thing for a picture!)

BTW...we won, for the THIRD year in a row! This is OUR state! We are MILES ahead!! #HailState!

Videos

One video is of Thomas waving. Which he now does all the time to everyone he sees. The other is his "Surprised and excited" face. With the big "O"! He was looking at himself on mom's iPhone while it videoed his reaction. He was amazed!

I'm a Slacker!

Kitchen with the hop up bar installed and the backsplash

Master Bathtub

Faucets installed

Close up of the backsplash. I'm gonna have them put in more of the glass tiles.

Front yard with landscaping!

He assures me we are closing this week. The appraiser is supposed to come tomorrow, and today (Sunday) at 12:30, there was a lot left to do!

House Update

Living Room

Master Bath

Laundry Room

Guest Bath

Close-up...its dirty!

So the house should be finished by Friday, and we should be closing on the 15th!!! Yippee!!

Thomas' First Thanksgiving

 So I was a terrible mother and didn't take many pictures to document Thomas' first Thanksgiving. Oh well. Here are the few I have:

I know he looks very unhappy and sick in this picture, but I promise he was jolly!

Give me the roll!!

YAY! I love Thanksgiving food!

Luke says, "Yay for Thanksgiving! And Yay for getting out of my highchair!"

Playing in the Leaves

 A few weekends ago, we traveled to Memphis to visit several family members. We went to Kaylea's 3rd birthday party. We stayed with my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Keith and also got to visit with Bryan, Becca, and Martin. I don't have any pictures with any of these people, but here are some of Thomas playing in the leaves in Aunt Cindy's front yard!

He really enjoyed eating the acorns more than playing in the leaves. He's digging for one here.

Kicking his legs all around in the leaves.

This picture was taken immediately after the one before it. He fell back in the leaves!

Its okay, I'm good!

Playing with Mommy!

Race ya!